UMass Chan Medical School nearly doubled its NIH funding in 2020 and now has about 150 open positions for research associates, research lab techs, clinical research assistants, clinical research coordinators and animal care technicians. To help fill these positions, many of which involve COVID-19 or gene therapy research, the Human Resources Department is holding a Research Based Career Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Beechwood Hotel, located at 363 Plantation Street across from the Medical School. Free parking is available.
Researchers representing a variety of areas, including emergency medicine, neurology, dermatology and molecular medicine, will be on hand to conduct interviews and answer questions. A $2,000 sign-on bonus is available for the full-time research associate and research lab tech positions; $1,000 bonuses are available for part-time work in these roles.
“It’s not about a job. It’s about a job at the right institution at the right time,” Executive Recruiter Barbara Guertin said.
UMass Chan is a leader in research for Huntington's disease, vitiligo, muscular dystrophy and Tay-Sachs disease. Researchers are conducting COVID-19 clinical trials with both Pfizer and Moderna. A significant increase in UMass Chan’s NIH funding is attributable to two awards, totaling $123 million, to administer the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program and its Clinical Studies Center. RADx is a nationwide strategic effort to develop and produce fast, accessible point-of-care tests for COVID-19, led by David McManus, MD, the Richard M. Haidack Professor in Medicine, and chair and professor of medicine. Job seekers will also have the opportunity to work with Guangping Gao, PhD, the Penelope Booth Rockwell Professor in Biomedical Research, professor of microbiology & physiological systems, director of the Horae Gene Therapy Center and co-director of the Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases. Gao is the recognized leader for Canavan disease research and is one of the top translational researchers according to Nature Biotechnology.
“To have UMass Chan Medical School on your résumé is a big deal,” Guertin said.
Many of the positions are entry-level, but experienced professionals are also needed. Guertin noted that the university recently did a salary review to ensure salaries are competitive with other highly ranked institutions. Depending on the position, tuition discounts are available for UMass and other state schools. Michael Racine, talent acquisition and HR reporting analyst, added that diversityjobs.com named the UMass system one of its Top Education Employers for 2021.
“It’s a great culture,” Racine said about UMass Chan. “It’s inclusive and a safe place to work.”
COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all employees. Employees on campus at least one day a week must also undergo weekly surveillance testing.
To preregister for the Research Based Career Fair and upload a copy of your résumé, visit the careers website. For more information about each department and opening, visit the jobs website. Preregistration is not required.
Related stories on UMassMed News:
UMMS soars in NIH funding, Blue Ridge Institute rankings
UMass Medical School receives $100 million in NIH grants to lead push for fast, accessible COVID-19 tests
Guangping Gao makes list of Nature Biotechnology Top 20 translational researchers
